VC’s award-winning Jazz Combo to play in statewide jazz festival

VC’s award-winning Jazz Combo has been invited to play at the Texas Jazz Festival Society’s Jazz Festival on Friday, October 16 through Sunday, October 18 at Heritage Park in Corpus Christi. VC’s ensemble will play on the South Stage from 6 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, October 18.

Formally established in 1960, the Texas Jazz Festival has grown steadily over the years from its humble beginnings in the student union of Del Mar College in Corpus Christi when 150 people attended a performance from one jazz band to today’s three-day event featuring more than 50 bands on three stages spread throughout Heritage Park and attended by more than 50,000 people.

The jazz festival also includes food and arts and crafts vendors and is recognized all over the world as one of the most important gatherings of talented musicians. The festival features musical groups from throughout Texas, including colleges, high schools, universities and other organizations. Invitations to play at the festival are reserved for the best and brightest jazz artists, and the festival serves as an important cultural and educational showcase of talent.

VC’s Jazz Combo has been awarded several distinctions, including a superior or outstanding community college band at the Texas Jazz Festival in Corpus Christi in both 2006 and 2008 and also received a superior rating at the 2006 Island Jazz Festival at Texas A & M Corpus Christi.

This year’s combo, directed by VC associate professor of music, Jonathan Anderson, features Aaron Boyd on piano, Joseph Kaminski on saxophone, Chris Hamelwright, Evan Woodson and Katie Riley on trumpet, Andy Heger on trombone, Trenton Jones on percussion, Marcus Coutee on drum set, David Faskas on bass, Pablo Trujillo on guitar and vocalist Casey Walthall. Anderson has participated in the Texas Jazz Festival for the past 11 years as a musician with his own band or as a music director for VC’s Jazz Combo.